Quotes by Musician | Beyond Motive 5/370

top of page

Quotes by Musician

"The band couldn't have happened anywhere else in the world but New York. That was the catalyst."

"The band couldn't have happened anywhere else in the world but New York. That was the catalyst."

Jan Hammer, Czech Musician

163

"I am very adamant about keeping my private life private. I don't prefer to talk about my family."

"I am very adamant about keeping my private life private. I don't prefer to talk about my family."

Luis Miguel, Mexican Musician

Family, Life, Talk

163

"In America, you watch TV and think that's totally unreal, then you step outside and it's just the same."

"In America, you watch TV and think that's totally unreal, then you step outside and it's just the same."

Joan Armatrading, St. Kittsian Musician

163

"So, the combination of looking at lots of different people and how they react to each other and how they relate to each other and waiting for that inspiration is the thing that allows me to keep writing."

"So, the combination of looking at lots of different people and how they react to each other and how they relate to each other and waiting for that inspiration is the thing that allows me to keep writing."

Joan Armatrading, St. Kittsian Musician

People, Inspiration, Waiting, Writing

163

"I actually met Chick Corea in New York, where I was staying with a bass player friend."

"I actually met Chick Corea in New York, where I was staying with a bass player friend."

Miroslav Vitous, Czechoslovakian Musician

Friendship, Friend

162

"People are always asking me about eskimos, but there are no eskimos in Iceland."

"People are always asking me about eskimos, but there are no eskimos in Iceland."

Bjork, Icelandic Musician

161

"There is such a suspicion in today's world of people who do more than one thing, who aren't specialized."

"There is such a suspicion in today's world of people who do more than one thing, who aren't specialized."

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish Musician

People, Suspicion, Today, World

160

"So our ears got used to listening to jazz in the place that it was that the bass player could not play. No one really realized it and really addressed it until the bass players who could play their instrument came along and started doing something with it."

"So our ears got used to listening to jazz in the place that it was that the bass player could not play. No one really realized it and really addressed it until the bass players who could play their instrument came along and started doing something with it."

Miroslav Vitous, Czechoslovakian Musician

Jazz, Listening, Play

160

"So many people release albums before Christmas and they get lost in the Christmas rush."

"So many people release albums before Christmas and they get lost in the Christmas rush."

Bonnie Tyler, Welsh Musician

People, Christmas

160

"I've been doing a lot of music for films and television for quite a few years."

"I've been doing a lot of music for films and television for quite a few years."

Jan Hammer, Czech Musician

Music, Television, Years

160

"In the beginning, there was silence. And out of the silence came the sound. The sound is not here."

"In the beginning, there was silence. And out of the silence came the sound. The sound is not here."

Daniel Barenboim, Argentinian Musician

Beginning, Silence, Sound

160

"Anywhere you had a commerce center, you had a lot of music."

"Anywhere you had a commerce center, you had a lot of music."

Ruben Blades, Panamanian Musician

Music, Commerce

160

"The reason I do interviews is because I'm protecting my songs."

"The reason I do interviews is because I'm protecting my songs."

Bjork, Icelandic Musician

160

"It was very hard to get any records, so the only source for us to really hear what was happening was listening to the Voice of America. We would be taping all the broadcast and then sharing the tapes and talking about it."

"It was very hard to get any records, so the only source for us to really hear what was happening was listening to the Voice of America. We would be taping all the broadcast and then sharing the tapes and talking about it."

Jan Hammer, Czech Musician

America, Listening, Sharing, Talking

160

"I admire a person who, for the love of art, is able to take off their clothes in front of a camera. But I'm not capable, I'm too cowardly for that."

"I admire a person who, for the love of art, is able to take off their clothes in front of a camera. But I'm not capable, I'm too cowardly for that."

Shakira, Colombian Musician

Love, Art, Clothes

160

"We showed the industry that female artists could attract the same audiences as the big male stars."

"We showed the industry that female artists could attract the same audiences as the big male stars."

Sarah McLachlan, Canadian Musician

Artist, Artists, Audiences, Stars

159

"I haven't chosen to make an issue of faith."

"I haven't chosen to make an issue of faith."

Peter Garrett, Australian Musician

159

"So I went to Miami in '74 with my family and while I was there it became obvious that we needed money and we needed to do something, because my family, we left without anything really, and we didn't have any money to begin with."

"So I went to Miami in '74 with my family and while I was there it became obvious that we needed money and we needed to do something, because my family, we left without anything really, and we didn't have any money to begin with."

Ruben Blades, Panamanian Musician

Family, Money, Obvious

159

"Music's always been really cathartic. It's the best drug for me to get away from the everyday pressures just for a second via a good song."

"Music's always been really cathartic. It's the best drug for me to get away from the everyday pressures just for a second via a good song."

Ville Valo, Finnish Musician

158

"If the seams are showing, there is something wrong with the performance or the construction of the piece. This idea is completely at odds with our modern visual experience, because everything today is based on montage."

"If the seams are showing, there is something wrong with the performance or the construction of the piece. This idea is completely at odds with our modern visual experience, because everything today is based on montage."

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish Musician

Experience, Idea, Performance, Today

158

"That is one of the things about going on tour, that I get to work with some really talented people and it allows me to be able to listen to them as well - and just have fun on stage."

"That is one of the things about going on tour, that I get to work with some really talented people and it allows me to be able to listen to them as well - and just have fun on stage."

Joan Armatrading, St. Kittsian Musician

Work, People, Fun

158

"Music can change the world because it can change people."

"Music can change the world because it can change people."

Bono, Irish Musician

Change, Music, People, World

157

"The music I do is food... that will be your dinner."

"The music I do is food... that will be your dinner."

Ziggy Marley, Jamaican Musician

Music, Food, Will

156

"Last time I was in Jamaica I financed a teacher to teach in an orphanage."

"Last time I was in Jamaica I financed a teacher to teach in an orphanage."

Ziggy Marley, Jamaican Musician

155

"Yesterday I was playing Beethoven's fifth, because I love that."

"Yesterday I was playing Beethoven's fifth, because I love that."

Joan Armatrading, St. Kittsian Musician

Love, Yesterday

154

"I am a friend of life, at 80 life tells me to behave like a woman and not like an old woman."

"I am a friend of life, at 80 life tells me to behave like a woman and not like an old woman."

Chavela Vargas, Costa Rican Musician

Life, Friend, Old, Woman

154

"When you like something, you should do it all night long."

"When you like something, you should do it all night long."

Chavela Vargas, Costa Rican Musician

153

"I love a visceral sound, the kind that hits you in the belly."

"I love a visceral sound, the kind that hits you in the belly."

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish Musician

152

"I believe that every person has uniqueness - something that nobody else has."

"I believe that every person has uniqueness - something that nobody else has."

Michael Schenker, German Musician

150

"I'm looking forward to influencing others in a positive way. My message is you can do anything if you just put your mind to it."

"I'm looking forward to influencing others in a positive way. My message is you can do anything if you just put your mind to it."

Justin Bieber, Canadian Musician

150

"Writing songs has a therapeutic effect, and it either kills off love or wins the heart of the lover."

"Writing songs has a therapeutic effect, and it either kills off love or wins the heart of the lover."

Shakira, Colombian Musician

Love, Heart, Effect, Songs

149

"Even if we are dead we help each other in some little way."

"Even if we are dead we help each other in some little way."

Dave Davies, British Musician

148

"I discovered that the people of the North are different and there's no way you can make a person from the North similar to a Southerner. They're two different worlds."

"I discovered that the people of the North are different and there's no way you can make a person from the North similar to a Southerner. They're two different worlds."

Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish Musician

148

"One thing that really appeals to me is this idea of music being a living thing that has an evolution that, in a way, enables the artist to sell a process rather than a piece of product."

"One thing that really appeals to me is this idea of music being a living thing that has an evolution that, in a way, enables the artist to sell a process rather than a piece of product."

Peter Gabriel, English Musician

Music, Idea, Artist, Being

146

"My lyrics come from my experiences growing up in life, trying to find out and express who I am. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be a prophet or anything like that. I'm just reflecting on life."

"My lyrics come from my experiences growing up in life, trying to find out and express who I am. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be a prophet or anything like that. I'm just reflecting on life."

Sean Paul, Jamaican Musician

Life, Growing up, Trying

145

"I want to get an handful of spare basses to use first of all if mine breaks, and second, to learn some things about aspects of basses that I like, so Paul can build those aspects into it."

"I want to get an handful of spare basses to use first of all if mine breaks, and second, to learn some things about aspects of basses that I like, so Paul can build those aspects into it."

Mike Gordon, American Musician

144

"Until now, I've not done a project where the produce, rapper and singer has never worked together like this before, and I had a chance to try a variety of styles."

"Until now, I've not done a project where the produce, rapper and singer has never worked together like this before, and I had a chance to try a variety of styles."

Namie Amuro, Japanese Musician

Chance, Now, Project, Variety

143

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

Andres Segovia, Spanish Musician

140

"I was always talking about what I could and would do, and you would always make rhymes about the competion even though we werent thinking about competition."

"I was always talking about what I could and would do, and you would always make rhymes about the competion even though we werent thinking about competition."

Kool Moe Dee, American Musician

Competition, Talking, Thinking

139

"You know, usually with movies there are periods, dark areas, where I might not be getting what I wanted out of a theme. I'll have to go over and over it again."

"You know, usually with movies there are periods, dark areas, where I might not be getting what I wanted out of a theme. I'll have to go over and over it again."

Trevor Rabin, South African Musician

136

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

Ani DiFranco, American Musician

136

"Cuz I was never pretty anyway and never cared anything about that."

"Cuz I was never pretty anyway and never cared anything about that."

Waylon Jennings, American Musician

134

"Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them."

"Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them."

Louis Armstrong, American Musician

Music, Musicians

134

"Dancehall is just like hip-hop in that it doesn't always talk about bling; it talks about conscious issues."

"Dancehall is just like hip-hop in that it doesn't always talk about bling; it talks about conscious issues."

Sean Paul, Jamaican Musician

133

"There are a lot of people who really abused sampling and gave it a bad name, by just taking people's entire hit songs and rapping over them. It gave publishers license to get a little greedy."

"There are a lot of people who really abused sampling and gave it a bad name, by just taking people's entire hit songs and rapping over them. It gave publishers license to get a little greedy."

Beck, American Musician

People, Name, Songs

133

"I think a lot of contemplation happens in bathtubs. It does for me. Nothing like a hot bath to ease the tension and think about what's going to happen next."

"I think a lot of contemplation happens in bathtubs. It does for me. Nothing like a hot bath to ease the tension and think about what's going to happen next."

Sarah McLachlan, Canadian Musician

Contemplation, Nothing, Tension

133

"I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

"I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

Harry Nilsson, American Musician

Men, Hope, Optimism, Despair

133

"I am a raging alcoholic and a raging addict and I didn't want to see my kids do the same thing."

"I am a raging alcoholic and a raging addict and I didn't want to see my kids do the same thing."

Ozzy Osbourne, English Musician

130

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

Lionel Hampton, American Musician

Gratitude, Heart, Memory, Mind

129

"And I ask why am I black, they say I was born in sin, and shamed inequity. One of the main songs we used to sing in church makes me sick, 'love wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."

"And I ask why am I black, they say I was born in sin, and shamed inequity. One of the main songs we used to sing in church makes me sick, 'love wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."

Peter Tosh, Jamaican Musician

Church, Sin, Snow, Songs

129

bottom of page